Re: MLB Off-Topic
No pitch clock in the Caribbean Series, MLB made the right call.
No pitch clock in the Caribbean Series, MLB made the right call.
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OSHA Inspector for the NBA. -
Re: MLB Off-Topic
At least it's almost ST time.
But despite that, some fan got bored and started reading the MLB rulebook.
Two rules I saw are:
1. If a player is stealing home when there's 2 strikes on the batter and the pitcher throws the ball and it hits the runner while the ball also crosses the plate in the strike zone, the batter is out meaning the run doesn't score.
2. Visiting team can choose to continue play even if there's a fan on the field, but if the visiting team refuses to continue play and security can't catch the fan within 15 minutes, the visiting team gets a forfeited win.Comment
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T-BONE.
Talking about things nobody cares.Comment
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Re: MLB Off-Topic
Rule 1 seems so unlikely, but then again, I remember a crazy rule moment happening during that Jays/Rangers 7th inning where the catcher threw the ball back to the pitcher, but it hit the batter which resulted in the umps calling it a live ball which allowed the guy on 3rd to steal home. Anything can happen and its probably in the rule book but nobody would ever think it's a rule or would be enforced.
As for the fan running around the field, I wonder what would even need to happen to someone to be able to last 15 minutes. Even the fastest fan possible, if there's security coming at you from different angles, surely that negates your speed since its not like they're all just coming from the same spot and you getting a head start means they'll never catch you.
Does it mean on field only, or could that fan escape everyone on field and wind up dashing through the stands or somewhere else and sneaking around elsewhere in the ballpark and/or eventually resuming the chase by emerging back on the field later in the game.Comment
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Re: MLB Off-Topic
Or a super elaborate plan where they repel from the roof onto the field. If anyone's about to catch them they go back up. Might take someone a while to get them since you can't reach them from the ground and can only get them from above in a safe manner without having them unclip or drop down.
Too bad there's no Tropicana catwalk anymore.Comment
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Re: MLB Off-Topic
I saw SNY, the channel that broadcasts most Mets games is offering an option for local market fans to pay to stream games on the mlb app or mlb tv. Great idea giving local fans the option to watch games without being tied to a cable subscriptionComment
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Re: MLB Off-Topic
MLB, ESPN opt out of TV deal for 2026-28; MLB cites "minimal coverage"
Major League Baseball and ESPN have “mutually agreed” to end their national television deal after the upcoming 2025 season, according to a memo baseball commissioner Rob Manfred sent to his owners Thursday afternoon that was obtained by The Athletic. Manfred wrote the league has “not been pleased with the minimal coverage that MLB has received on ESPN’s platforms over the past several years outside of the actual live game coverage.”
ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball, its wild-card round playoff broadcasts and the rest of the partnership remain in place through the 2025 season.
A March 1 deadline loomed for both parties to opt out of the final three years of a contract that otherwise would have run through 2028. The broadcaster informed the league of its decision to opt out on Thursday morning, according to two people briefed on ESPN’s thinking. The league, in turn, then proceeded to say it too would opt out.
The network was due to pay the league an estimated $550 million each of the next three years, which it deemed way above the current market value, according to people briefed on the network’s thinking.
“We do not think it’s beneficial for us to accept a smaller deal to remain on a shrinking platform,” Manfred wrote. “In order to best position MLB to optimize our rights going in to our next deal cycle, we believe it is not prudent to devalue our rights with an existing partner but rather to have our marquee regular season games, Home Run Derby and Wild Card playoff round on a new broadcast and/or streaming platform.
“To that end, we have been in conversations with several interested parties around these rights over the past several months and expect to have at least two potential options for consideration over the next few weeks.”
Manfred’s memo did not rule out the sides pairing up again on a new deal, while ESPN said it’s open to a new partnership.
“We are grateful for our longstanding relationship with Major League Baseball and proud of how ESPN’s coverage super-serves fans,” ESPN said in a statement. “In making this decision, we applied the same discipline and fiscal responsibility that has built ESPN’s industry-leading live events portfolio as we continue to grow our audience across linear, digital and social platforms. As we have been throughout the process, we remain open to exploring new ways to serve MLB fans across our platforms beyond 2025.”
ESPN and MLB have been partners since 1990, and both sides still appear to have a continued need for the other. ESPN has put forth both national and regional programming ideas to continue working with MLB. The network plans to launch a direct-to-consumer (or DTC) product this summer that will cost $25-30 per month.
MLB, meanwhile, could be hard-pressed to find similar dollars elsewhere. The ESPN contract, which would have lasted seven years, was agreed to in 2021.
ESPN felt the market had changed and that baseball should make adjustments accordingly. Apple is paying $85 million per year for baseball rights, while Roku is paying $10 million a season for baseball rights.
“Over the past several months, ESPN has approached us with a desire to reduce the amount they pay for MLB content over the remainder of the term,” Manfred wrote. “Publicly and privately ESPN has pointed to lower rights fees paid by Apple and Roku in their deals with MLB. We believe arguments based on the Apple and Roku deals are inapt and we have rejected ESPN’s aggressive effort to reduce rights fees for several reasons.
“First, the inventory involved in the Apple and Roku deals is very different from the ESPN inventory. The ESPN deal contains the only truly exclusive regular season windows on Sunday nights, the exclusive right to an entire round of playoffs, and the Home Run Derby, one of the most exciting events of the summer. In contrast, Apple and Roku have games that compete against a complete slate of other games broadcast in local markets.”
Manfred wrote Sunday Night Baseball ratings were up 6 percent in 2024 from the year prior. Both sides had been threatening to opt out of the deal as the deadline approached.
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/614...t-out-tv-deal/
OSHA Inspector for the NBA.Comment
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Re: MLB Off-Topic
“We do not think it’s beneficial for us to accept a smaller deal to remain on a shrinking platform,” Manfred wrote.
Daaaaaaamn
Taking shots on your way out.
So Manfred thought ESPN was providing MLB "minimal coverage"? Oh buddy, you haven't seen anything yet. No rights? No coverage for you ala NHL.
At the same time, not sure how much more they can cut from their paltry baseball coverage
Right now, ESPN is for NFL, College Football and NBA with some sprinkles of MLB and NHL etc. Maybe that's what MLB is counting on? ESPN only covers MLB if there is nothing else going on and there is no reason that shouldn't continue I guess.
At the same time, it was time for a change. That doesn't mean it will get better, it may even get worse, but can't keep doing the same thing with an inattentive partner and expect things to improve.
Let someone else take a shot and see if they can make something out of it.
But MLB needs to get their house in order. The Bally thing, blackouts, rights all over the place.OSHA Inspector for the NBA.Comment
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Re: MLB Off-Topic
ESPN needs to stop pretending it cares about baseball, anyway (on the television side that is). It's sad that it's been like that for the better part of maybe fifteen years now, but that's just the reality.Samsung PN60F8500 PDP / Anthem MRX 720 / Klipsch RC-62 II / Klipsch RF-82 II (x2) / Insignia NS-B2111 (x2) / SVS PC13-Ultra / SVS SB-2000 / Sony MDR-7506 Professional / Audio-Technica ATH-R70x / Sony PS3 & PS4 / DirecTV HR44-500 / DarbeeVision DVP-5000 / Panamax M5400-PM / Elgato HD60Comment
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Re: MLB Off-Topic
Good riddance ESPN. Their coverage has been terrible. Hopefully they can find a better partner.
NBC, CBS, FOX, CW, TNT/TBS, even Netflix your turn now.Last edited by zello144; 02-21-2025, 02:03 AM.Comment
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Re: MLB Off-Topic
It can be both. That broadcast has gone downhill, and things like Baseball Tonight just don't have the cache they once did either -- that's the fault of both ESPN and just the nature of TV these days.
It's probably the right call for MLB though, at least try to find a market that will push you because it's all they got to some extent. This isn't an NHL situation where leaving ESPN ruined them along with the lockout.I won't ask for Christmas or birthday gifts if you subscribe to the Operation Sports Newsletter (Not Just Another Roster Update). I write it, and it hits your inbox every Friday morning (for freeeeeee). We also have an official OS Discord you can now join.Comment
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Re: MLB Off-Topic
Yankees dropped the no facial hair policy!
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